Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde would soon hold a meeting so as to provide permanent relief to onion farmers, Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan has said. Farmers in the district have been protesting the Union government’s decision to hike the export duty on onions to 40 per cent, saying that it hinders exports and pushes the prices in the domestic markets down.“Chief minister Shinde and deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar will hold a meeting soon to provide permanent relief to onion farmers. At present, 40 onion purchase centres of NAFED are operational in Nashik district and instructions have been given to increase the number by ten,” Mahajan said on Friday night.
He was speaking at a meeting with district collector Jalaj Sharma, district agriculture officer Vivek Sonawane, other officials and representatives of farmers and traders. “The state government has announced a Rs 350 per quintal subsidy for onions. It will be distributed in two phases and deposited in farmers’ bank accounts directly. The farmers in the state will get a subsidy of Rs 865 crore in all. Out of it, the state government has recently given its consent to distribute Rs 465 crore. Discussion will be held with the chief minister and deputy chief ministers for the release of the remaining amount,” Mahajan added.
The minister visited the Lasalgaon Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in the district, Asia’s biggest wholesale onion market, on Saturday and held discussions with the farmers and traders there.Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal visited Vinchur sub-committee of Lasalgaon APMC and interacted with farmers there during the day.“I have discussed the onion issue with Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. I will make efforts at the government level so that farmers get the right Minimum Support Price,” he told reporters. Meanwhile, during the morning session on Saturday, 412 vehicle-loads of onion were auctioned at Lasalgaon APMC. The prices were Rs 600 per quintal minimum, Rs 2,301 maximum and Rs 2,050 per quintal average.